The treatment of titanium dioxide pigments with organosilicon compounds to improve dispersibility in a polymer matrix is well known in the art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,503 to Berger et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,154 to Berger describe the treatment of particulate titanium dioxide to improve its dispersibility in a resin or plastic medium. The titanium dioxide contains on its surface a silane possessing at least two to about three hydrolyzable groups bonded to the silicon, and an organic group which contains a polyalkylene oxide group.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,305 to Braun et al. discloses a modified hydrophobic pigment or filler containing 0.05 to 10 wt. % of an organopolysiloxane having improved dispersibility in synthetic resins. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,607,994 and 5,631,310, both to Tooley et al., disclose white-pigmented polymers (particularly, polyolefins such as polyethylene) containing white pigments treated with at least one silane or a mixture of at least one silane and at least one polysiloxane to improve processability in compounding and to improve performance properties such as lacing resistance in a polymeric matrix, as well as other physical characteristics.